A Midwest structural fabricator needed to know their true all-in weld cost for bidding purposes. Running GMAW fillet welds on ASTM A36 plate with ER70S-6 wire, the shop's cost broke down to $0.85/lb for steel material and $0.15/lb for weld deposit labor at a $72/hr shop rate — landing on $1.00/lb all-in before overhead and profit. IronKit's Weld Cost Calculator tracked wire consumption, arc time, deposition rate, and gas cost automatically. The shop owner said having a verified number let him bid structurally with confidence instead of guessing.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does $1/lb structural weld cost break down?
Material is $0.85/lb (steel content). Labor is $0.15/lb deposited at $72/hr shop rate and 8.2 lb/hr deposition rate. Wire, gas, and consumables are fractional — the big lever is arc efficiency and deposition rate.
What deposition rate should I assume for structural GMAW?
At 0.045" ER70S-6 with 300 A spray transfer, expect 8–9 lb/hr theoretical. Applied deposition accounting for arc-on time (typically 50–60% of shift time for structural fab) yields 4–5 lb/hr productive rate. IronKit uses arc time, not shift time, for the cost calculation.
How do I lower my weld cost below $1/lb?
Increase deposition rate (larger wire, higher current), improve arc efficiency (reduce starts/stops), use SAW for heavy structural plate, or switch to FCAW-G for better deposition than solid wire. The $1/lb target is achievable with good process control on A36.
Does IronKit calculate weld cost per joint or per pound?
IronKit calculates both. The Weld Cost Calculator outputs cost-per-inch, cost-per-joint, and cost-per-pound-deposited simultaneously. You enter the joint geometry and get all three. Cost-per-pound is most useful for structural bidding; cost-per-inch is more useful for pipe and precision work.